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Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 2008

Not specifically. I was going to come on to the surplus in the national insurance fund, because we inevitably debate it at this time of year. The reality, and the answer to the National Pensioners Convention, which says that that surplus could be used dramatically to increase pensions now, is that the surplus is effectively invested back into other public services. If we spent that on increasing pensions immediately, one would have to raise taxation to deal with the other public services which the surplus currently supports. It is not available as a free amount, and is not otherwise allocated and invested in government services. The noble Lord, Lord Kirkwood, asked whether we have the right strategy for child poverty. Six hundred thousand children have been lifted out of relative poverty already. The details announced in the previous Budget and the PBR on child benefit and child tax credit, and the issues that we have discussed in the child maintenance Bill, will support another 300,000 children in getting out of poverty, but there are still big challenges that we need to make sure we meet. We should not shy away from setting tough targets simply because they are tough. My noble friend Lord Jones asked about statutory paternity pay and statutory adoption pay. We dealt with this on the then Work and Families Bill. I am struggling to remember which year it was—I think it was 2006. I do not have a detailed breakdown of the information but I shall certainly write to my noble friend. Of course, we should recognise that these things are generally met by employers and not by government. The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, again asked about the National Insurance Fund and said that he thought it covered a lot of things other than pensions. There is a tabulation showing total benefits for 2007-08 of something like £65 billion, with a breakdown of the figures for retirement pensions, additional pensions, widows’ bereavement pensions, incapacity benefit and contribution-based jobseeker’s allowance, and there is also a schedule showing the totality of those payments. The noble Lord also raised the question of pension take-up and the work that is being done in that respect. Given the time that we have spent on this order, perhaps I may send him a note, as I think that we have ranged over this matter before. Very extensive work is going on to ensure that people take up the benefits to which they are entitled. I hope that I have dealt with each of the questions raised. If noble Lords do not wish to challenge or raise any other points, I shall commend the order to the Committee. On Question, Motion agreed to.